RBBP VIDEO SUMMIT
Posted by mountaintopquilting on Monday, March 14th, 2011
Every day for the last two weeks promptly at 1:00 I have been at my desk phone turned off and been treated to the most amazing and inspiring interviews with host Jennifer Lee as I participated in a video summit for right-brained business planners. You may have even seen a review of her new book in the last issue of Cloth Paper Scissors. Even after being in business for over ten years, there was so many tips and tricks sprinkled here and there with nuggets of informations, resources, networking connections, and a chance to see "live" so many of my virtual mentors I've admired from afar through their books, their websites, and articles published in my favorite magazines.
So what you see is my version of Jenn's oversized planning calendar. Her's is much more beautiful and neatly done looking so professional. She purchases her blank wall calendars from the Paper Source. However, since I still have a stack of packing paper from our recent move (the stack is taller than my waiste!) I decided to "repurpose" some of that paper and make my own wall calendars. The template is a work in progress, but the main ideas are beginning to solidify.
I've got my goals; I've got my intentions; I've got my dreams for future projects; I've got my "DO-IT-RIGHT-NOW!" noted on post-its; I've got my motivation words of the month; I've got my reminders for my Sacred Six (that's another post); bottom line ... I think I've just about got everything up there that needs to be. And what doesn't get done this month can be moved into to April if it still resonates as an important part of my business life.
Some things I really like about doing my planning like this:
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it is REALLY BIG and so it is much harder for me to ignore or forget.
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color, color, color (need to find post-its that are more fun, too)
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repeating meetings or things to be done care written right on the calendar, but the rest is more flexible ... hence, the post-it notes. (they seem to be sticking to the calendar really well.
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if I don't get something on a post-it done today, I can just move it to tomorrow! Yeah! now my right brain doesn't feel so squished in by my left brain "just push through and get it done" attitude.
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I keep my box of post-its handy to add more things as I think of them
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the main thing ... it keeps me a little more focused while I'm working in the studio.
Here you can see I have no problem coming up with lots of project ideas. I saw a word that I think I need to add to my profile description ... I'm a "possibilitarian" with a captial P. There was quite a storm of post-it notes on my desk that needed sorting as I jotted down ideas that resonated while attending the video summit. Much sadness in our ranks as we met for the last time on Friday, but many of us chose to continue with Jenn in a forum she set up so the energy and learning continues as we share ideas, network, and connect across the miles with each other. Jenn will continue with her advise; some of the guest speakers are on the list as well so the forum abounds with possible mentors.
I've been using another planning format I really like for more than a year now in a program called One Note on my computer. This program is a system of folders and you can add anything that might spark an interest as you are researching (or surfing) the web with a simple cut and paste. I have one folder set up as a day planner calendar. My One Note calendar has both business and personal stuff in it. And then I also use Google Calendar to communicate/share personal stuff with the family so we can keep everyone in the loop with all of our commitments and travel plans.
Years ago when our kids were still in elementary school I attended a workshop how to set up a day planner ... what kinds of things to have at your fingertips where ever you might be. The whole system went a step beyond the simple little calendar many of us carry in our purses. I remember going to the workshop with a not-so-receptive attitude. You see, I'm not a real fan of lists, and planning in writing. I think I like the flexibility (I prefer to see it that way LOL) of just keeping everything in my head. I guess then I haven't made any real commitments and so I can change my plans at the drop of a hat. It seems to work for me most of the time, but .. back to the story about the day planner workshop. I watched and listened to all the presenter had to say thinking all the time, "Okay, works for you but I don't know about ..." WAIT, are those stickers on her calendar pages!!!
And the rest is history ... I was hooked. I carried my day planner calendar organizer every where with me for years. Every year usually on January 1st my daughter and I would have a "calendar day" and we would play with our calendar pages and our sticker collections. And then Mike got me a smart phone. I resisted using the calendar on my phone for a long time because I couldn't do my stickers, but finally I caved.
I think I need to go sticker shopping tomorrow for my right brained business planning calendar.
... be bold ...
... be brave ...
... make and share the music of your soul ...
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Comments
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Hooray for sticky notes, right! Pick up some cute stickers just for fun, too :)by Kay on 16 March 2011 at 1:25 p.m.
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Kay, I love this blog post and how you just dove in with your ideas on sticky notes to get them out of your head and onto paper in a beautiful, creative brain dump. Lovely. You're inspiring me to do the same. So I'm planning to make a stop at the local office supply store after my walk on the bike path today and go find a large wall calendar and fun sticky notes. Yay! Thanks.by Lois Olson on 16 March 2011 at 12:28 p.m.
